Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
A short attention span may be normal for all human beings and every culture, but we are especially afflicted with the distractions of so many "existential" crises -- climate change, opioid epidemic, collapsing infrastructure, disintegrating families, political paralysis in Washington, etc. Given their chronic inability to focus and stay focused, some people may be forgiven for complaining that the Church drags out the Christmas Season.
But it's good to linger quietly in the presence of the Christ Child. Contemplation does not look for fresh material every day. Rather, it looks for a deeper comprehension of the Truth within our religious symbols.
The New Testament writings of Saint John -- his gospel and three letters -- are especially good for contemplation because they sound so repetitive. Reading them we may often say, "Haven't I read this before?" If we're challenged to reflect, write or preach on this material, we probably find ourselves recycling words, phrases and insights we have already hashed over.
Of course, real life is like that. As I look at the image of a swaddled baby on the right of your screen, I wonder how many times will someone have to spoon feed the infant with baby food. How many times will the same spoonful be offered as the baby learns to swallow. As the oldest child I learned to feed my brothers and sisters. Every spoonful was placed in the little mouth and then, as half of it squirted out on the baby's lips, I would catch it with the spoon and offer it again. Two or three times. And then another spoonful. Until the jar of mashed peas or creamed apricot was consumed. At the outset, when the first spoonful took so long to administer, I doubted we could put the whole jar through that little mouth. But the baby was hungry and I was patient and we managed.
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
That's a spoonful! We could spend our lives contemplating just that one verse! In fact, we do as the liturgical cycle continually feeds it back to us!
Isn't love what it means to be human? It makes sense that God is love for we are also lovers, despite our fears, suspicions, resentments, anger and outright wars. We just haven't yet figured out how to love well.
...because love is of God;
The reason it sounds so repetitious is because it's as familiar as breathing. We knew that! Of course God is love. But we have often acted as if it weren't true. That fundamental truth has not shone in our darkness until the Baby was born, until the Word was made flesh. We know it but it has to be revealed for we are very distracted. Until the Lord appears we suffer a fatal distraction.
When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
Jesus was never distracted. From the moment of his conception the Son of God knew the Heavenly Father. With that focus on God he could see our pathos and pity us. As 2019 opens before us, we pray that we might train our attention on him, and learn to see, think and act as He does, with the Holy Spirit to guide us.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.